Bond 25 Location Update
25th January 2019
Bond 25 could shoot partly in Norway thanks to generous rebate
By MI6 Staff
Although producers EON Productions have been typically tightlipped about where Bond would shoot when cameras roll in March, the Norwegian Film Institute today unveiled its latest round of rebate offers. The shortlist included a number of television productions, and the feature film 'B25'. (On this as in past productions, EON/Danjaq have set up a holding company named simply 'B25 Limited' to run the accounts relevant to the production.)
The forthcoming Bond 25 (working title) has been offered a record NOK 47m (£4.18m or $5.5m USD) in rebates if the production chooses to shoot some or all of the film in the Nordic country. This doesn't mean that the deal is done between EON and the Norwegian governement, or that the production will receive that money in hand. Instead the production will recieve a 25% refund on approved expenses incurred in the country up to that figure.
EON is working with Truenorth Norway to manage the on-the-ground logistics for the production and it is the latter that were named as the applicant on the grant.
“We are pleased that filming of the film with the preliminary title B25 is considering being shot in Norway,” said Stine Helgeland, NFI Executive Director, Promotion & International Relations.
International productions in general and Bond films in particular are likely to rejig part of their story to suit the most hospitable locations – a delicate balance in terms of financial incentive, locations, and crew skill and availability. Both 'Casino Royale' and 'Skyfall' memorably scouted South Africa, and for a while the opening pre-titles sequence of the latter were expected to lens in India.
Bond films have shot on location in Norway for 'You Only Live Twice' and 'Die Another Day' but these have usually be second or splinter unit shoots, nothing of the scale that would warrent such a generous grant. Even if production goes ahead in Norway it is not clear if the location would double for some other, or if Norway itself is integral to the plot.